BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Right now, there are 10,000 vacant homes in Baltimore, a quarter of them owned by the city.

So Saturday, the city invited developers, contractors and individuals to learn about how to buy a vacant home from the city and rehab it for sale as a home.

The Department of Housing announced it has streamlined the process.

“It helps the city in many ways,” said Wendy Redfern, Assistant Commissioner of Land Resources. “It helps the community, helps with crime reduction, helps with cleanliness, various ways this helps to put these properties back in productive use.”

The city also announced a $10,000 incentive for the homeowner who buys one of these homes from the rehabber.

If you’re interested in purchasing a vacant home, call the Land of Resources Division at 410-396-4111. They will get you started with the application process.